


Inbox (1)

by hellabaloo



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Epistolary, Gen, Long-Distance Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-16 10:33:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13052241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellabaloo/pseuds/hellabaloo
Summary: David’s not sure when the highlight of his day became an email from Silva. He’s gotten unbelievably sappy in his old age.





	Inbox (1)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lordsanga](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lordsanga/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide!

 

 

New York is fucking cold in the winter. David distantly wishes someone had warned him about that before he signed with NYCFC, but mostly he just likes to complain about it. But they’re still training because they’re in the playoffs this year, and if a little discomfort is what he has to put up with it’ll be worth it. (Some of the Americans try to tell him that it’s still really only fall and doesn’t he remember last year’s winter? Honestly, David’s been trying to forget for months now.) 

It’s not like he’s outside much other than practice, but David still moves a little more quickly than he otherwise might to get from his nice warm car to his building’s elevator. Underground parking lots barely rank below a football pitch for places he’s most likely to freeze his balls off, so he doesn’t like to dawdle. David huffs out a breath and shivers as he presses the button for his floor, and pulls out his phone. 

Absentmindedly thumbing through his twitter feed, David grins when his phone vibrates with a notification and he sees who it’s from. He’s not sure when the highlight of his day became an email from Silva; he’s gotten unbelievably sappy in his old age.

 

> **from:** David Silva  <ds@davidjimenezsilva.com>  
>  **to:** me  
>  **date:** Fri, Nov 3, 2017 at 3:50 PM  
>  **subject:** re: re: check this out
> 
> Fuck I still have to pack. Why can’t the federation just keep all our shit at las Rozas? And don’t pretend like you’re sad about missing some bullshit friendlies. You need to be with me at the next break because Alberto keeps trying to make me his mentor and I’m running out of excuses to avoid him. 
> 
> I know you hate it, but good luck this weekend. You never know what can happen. 
> 
> p.s. Sergio says hi

 

David smiles as he types out a quick response, asks Silva to punch Pepe for him, but studiously avoids bringing up their upcoming match against Columbus. The first leg was rough, and playing with ten men for most of the second half didn’t help. David did get one goal back, but consolation goals are almost worse than getting shut out. They give you that barest glimmer of hope that you can turn the tie around. David’s body aches in a way he hasn’t ever felt before and a small, traitorous part of him is glad their season is all but done. 

Whenever David looks across the dressing room at Andrea, there’s a knot somewhere in the base of his stomach. He doesn’t regret coming to MLS, there’s so much opportunity in America to grow the sport, but here, at the end of their season—not to mention the end of a career—there’s a bitter taste in David’s mouth. Football has never made David feel hopeless, even the football he’s playing now, but he’s starting to question whether it might not be time to consider retirement. This isn’t the cushy retirement league critics dismiss; that’s China nowadays. The travel is grueling and even though the standard of competition may not be of the highest quality, these are professionals earning a living and they take themselves and their sport seriously. 

David opens up his apartment and admires the view of New York, dragging himself out of his maudlin thoughts. When he first moved to the city, Thierry Henry had reached out to him, proclaiming he was doing reconnaissance on their rival’s new acquisition. David hadn’t ever known Thierry well, but he played into it. Rivalries and city derbies were familiar, and leaving Spain was still a fresh hurt. 

They had lunch in a trendy restaurant and everything about his new situation seemed odd. No paparazzi. No autograph seekers. It was _quiet_ in a way David hadn’t experienced in years. Thierry had tried to warn him that New York did not love its stars like Barcelona. That Barcelona was that lover that threw you out of the house one week, and welcomed you back into her arms the next. But you were always the one chasing after New York. David hadn’t really believed him, then.

Two years later, David has fallen in love and understands precisely what Thierry was trying to say. But the chase doesn’t frustrate him, it makes him want it more. It’s nothing like Valencia or Barcelona, and some days it’s exactly what David needs. There’s an anonymity in this city, because New Yorkers don’t give a shit who you are if you’re in their way. It’s refreshingly honest. 

David turns away from the window and climbs into bed. He falls asleep, just another soul in a city of millions.

 

.

 

They win the second leg, but lose the tie. Silva is, thankfully, silent on the subject. David knows it must be awkward from the other side. What _do_ you say to your old teammate who’s now in a a backwater league when you’re flying high with Pep Guardiola in the Premier League? David consoles himself with the knowledge that at least Silva gets to experience Pep’s maniacal training sessions for himself now.

And just like that, their season really is over. David cleans out his locker and wonders what he’s going to with his off-season. As with most things, he emails Silva about it.

 

> **from:** David Silva  <ds@davidjimenezsilva.com>  
>  **to:** me  
>  **date:** Tue, Nov 7, 2017 at 2:32 AM  
>  **subject:** [no subject] 
> 
> Go somewhere warm. Do it for me, it’s too fucking cold here. Why did I ever come to Manchester again? 
> 
> Or you could go on a road trip? Isn’t that what you do in America? 
> 
> Go to a spa and get your nasty feet taken care of. Your season just ended, I’m sure they’re just as awful as they always were in Valencia. Probably worse because now they’re old man feet. 
> 
> p.s. Sergio wants to know if they’ve put the Christmas tree up at Rockefeller center yet

 

David laughs at Silva’s suggestions and vaguely remembers times from their days at Valencia, when they were young men and everything was about the future and they cared more about teasing each other than how they were going to force their bodies to play another ninety minutes when all of their muscles protested against movement. He can forget, for a moment, how his knees crack with every other step and his calves burn at sprints. Silva has always kept him grounded, and even separated by an ocean, and David is grateful for him. (Not that he’d ever tell Silva that to his face. He’d never stop crowing about it, and David would never have a peaceful day ever again.)

It feels like there are futures unfolding in front of him, David just has to pick one.

 

.

 

David watches the friendlies Spain plays instead of the MLS playoffs. He spends most the of the time texting Silva his critiques of their formation, knowing his long string of messages will probably only get an eye roll after the game. Luckily, his teammates aren't around to give him too much shit about it.
    
    
      
    
    nice tackle
    
    
      
    
    and the goal was pretty good too
    
    
      
    
    Sorry. That was Pepe. He says hi btw
    
    
      
    
    And that you still owe him 20 euro
    
    
      
    
    tell him he can come collect it from me anytime. i guess the bald thing is working out nicely for you
    
    
      
    
    how does Pep feel about you copying his style?
    
    
      
    
    Shut up guaje

.

 

> **from:** D. Villa  <guaje@davidvilla7.es>  
>  **to:** me  
>  **date:** Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 2:32 AM  
>  **subject:** [no subject] 
> 
> jajajajajajajajaja what do they have you doing this year?!!!
> 
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzu7ij8fbAA>

 

 

> **from:** David Silva  <ds@davidjimenezsilva.com>  
>  **to:** me  
>  **date:** Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 2:57 AM  
>  **subject:** how hard did you look for that
> 
> That video is from 2012. And mince pies are disgusting.

 

.

 

So far, David’s spent his off-season much like he does while he’s playing. The morning workout sessions are less intense, there are more media events and appearances, and he’s actually responding to emails from his agent and business partners within a reasonable time frame. 

But he’s starting to go a little stir-crazy.

David’s never gotten used to the schedule differences between Europe and America. Winter should be the season where the team has come together and is working towards securing a solid position in the table to make their final push towards a title. Instead, he’s on vacation, the MLS Cup already played for and won by Toronto. And that’s that. The club and the coach are in contact, but it’s nothing like it is during the season. 

He opens up his email and is halfway finished with writing Silva before he stops and reads back what he’s written. It’s all a jumbled mess of stream of conscious with tangents that make it particularly hard to follow, and David pauses. What does he even want?

And like the goalmouth staring out at him, with just the keeper to beat, he knows exactly what he wants. And it terrifies him. 

David’s never been prone to self-doubt and yet, here he is, in his kitchen, doubled over trying to breathe through the seizing in his chest because what he really wants, what he _needs_ is someone to reassure him that what he’s doing, playing in MLS, working to grow the sport in an untapped market, dealing with advertisers and television networks, that all of that has actually accomplished something. 

He puts his phone down and makes himself forget about emailing any of that to Silva.

 

.

 

> **from:** David Silva  <ds@davidjimenezsilva.com>  
>  **to:** me  
>  **date:** Sat, Dec 2, 2017 at 4:21 AM  
>  **subject:** Christmas?
> 
> Hey man, I was wondering if you had any plans for Christmas? They’re asking if we need to reserve any tickets for friends and family and it made me think you’ve never come to England. I won’t be able to spend that much time with you given our schedule, but let me know. Not sure what you’re offseason looks like, but it’d be good to see you.

 

Something in David’s chest relaxes as he stares at the words on his screen. 

He makes a few calls and types out a response to Silva with a small smile lodged in the corner of his mouth.

 

.

Notes:

1\. Totally made up email addresses for the Davids, but I’m thinking they don’t have gmail accounts. Also, please join me in marveling at the flawless representations of Web 1.0 design these websites are:

[David Silva’s official page](http://www.davidjimenezsilva.com/en)

[David Villa’s official page](http://www.davidvilla7.es/en/)

2\. Villa, who had retired from international football after the 2014 World Cup, reversed his decision and played for Spain during qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in August 2017. 

Spain played friendlies against Costa Rica and Russia in November 2017, but Villa was not included in the squad. Alberto is Alberto Moreno, Sergio is Sergio Agüero, and Pepe is Pepe Reina. David had a brace against Costa Rica, one coming off a tackle on a defender ([x](https://twitter.com/leisureleaguepk/status/930049962750160897))

3\. NYCFC lost to the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Semifinals of the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs 4-3 on aggregate (1-4 first leg, 2-0 second leg). Andrea is Andrea Pirlo, who retired from football at the end of NYCFC’s season.

4\. Thierry Henry played for the New York Red Bulls, NYCFC cross-town rival (if you consider Jersey close enough to New York for it to work), from 2010 to 2014. I’ve shamelessly adapted Titi’s line from [The City and the Stadium Lights](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2369495) by the wonderful [DaughterOfKings](http://archiveofourown.org/users/daughterofkings). It’s an amazing fic that I highly recommend you read if you’re a David Villa fan.

5\. Manchester City’s holiday videos on their Youtube page are ridiculous and wonderfully entertaining. 

.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me [on tumblr!](https://historiograph.tumblr.com)


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